Der Rosenkavalier at the Opernhaus Zürich
“In the role of Octavian, Angela Brower was a delight, bringing out many layers to her character. At the beginning, you could see a young boy enthralled, excited, and stricken with his Marschallin. There is a combination of sexual desire, but also care and love, especially in the first scene, as Brower’s first lines were embellished with a strong and lush mezzo. In her first interactions with Baron Ochs, Brower showed her Mariandel a bit scared of Ochs running from him and started to create a nasal sound that she would eventually champion in the third act to incredible use. During her interactions with Damrau’s Marschallin, she would mock Ochs with a simple look or simply act confused as to what Damrau’s Marschallin was planning. That demonstrated an innocent young man who Brower would expertly evolve throughout the following acts. In their concluding duet at the end of the act, Brower really conveyed sorrow and confusion through her phrases, singing with a warm sound. As the line grew in the music, so did Brower’s voice, showcasing desperation.
In Act two, Brower entered the scene with the rose, completely distraught and uninterested. Even as he gave the rose to Sophie, Brower remained aloof. It was only when Sophie’s lines rose to a high note that Brower’s Octavian saw something in Emily Pogorelc’s Sophie. There, the two sang the Presentation of the Rose with vivid expression. You sensed that this love was sincere. In this act, you could finally also sense a maturity in Octavian as Brower gained some strength in front of Ochs and confronted him with a fierce and plush mezzo voice.
In Act three, as noted, Brower relied on the nasal falsetto voice to shape Mariandel’s character, and Brower clearly enjoyed the entire game as she threw herself into every movement in a mocking fashion. Her repetition of “Nein Nein” was incredibly funny and varied in color. She even enjoyed whipping Baron Ochs. There was a moment where she did lose control as Ochs slid her around the stage in a chair before grabbing her by her legs. Brower eventually used that moment to stand on Günther Groissböck.
Once the game was over and the Marschallin arrived, Brower showcased emotional confusion. The voice returned to its warm timbre, emoting delicacy as she attempted to find a balance in her character’s emotions between Sophie and the Marschallin. She sang with a gorgeous piano that evoked Octavian’s torment. But that all transformed in the final trio and duet as the voice returned to the youthful quality from the beginning.”
“Zur wahren, sängerdarstellerischen Überraschung des Abends wird Angela Brower. Ihr Octavian, zunächst widerwillig als Rosenkavalier, später zunehmend mitleidsvoll für die gequälte Sophie, trägt ein nuanciertes, stimmlich wie darstellerisch packendes Profil.”
[Angela Brower’s performance as the true surprise of the evening is her Octavian, initially reluctantly a Rosenkavalier, but later increasingly compassionate towards the tormented Sophie, exhibits a nuanced, gripping profile both vocally and in terms of acting.]
“Angela Brower as Octavian captures his youthful ardour and impulsive passion with luminous tone and dramatic intensity. Her acting is infectious.”
“Die Hosenrolle des Octavian findet in Angela Brower eine kecke, die jugendliche Naivität authentisch spielende Sängerin von Format.”
[Angela Brower is a bold singer of great caliber who authentically portrays Octavian’s youthful naivety in the pants role.]